U.S. patent number 10,498,877 [Application Number 15/956,354] was granted by the patent office on 2019-12-03 for personalizing interaction with a structure.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ademco Inc.. The grantee listed for this patent is Ademco Inc.. Invention is credited to Patrick Gonia, Amit Kulkarni, Arun Vijayakumari Mahasenan.
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United States Patent |
10,498,877 |
Mahasenan , et al. |
December 3, 2019 |
Personalizing interaction with a structure
Abstract
Methods, devices, and systems for personalizing interaction with
a structure are described herein. One method includes determining a
comfort preference associated with a user of a mobile device
corresponding to a particular location with respect to a structure,
storing the comfort preference in a memory, and modifying an
operation of at least one device in the structure to provide the
comfort preference responsive to a distance between the mobile
device and the particular location being less than a particular
threshold.
Inventors: |
Mahasenan; Arun Vijayakumari
(Trivandrum, IN), Kulkarni; Amit (Plymouth, MN),
Gonia; Patrick (Maplewood, MN) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ademco Inc. |
Golden Valley |
MN |
US |
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Assignee: |
Ademco Inc. (Golden Valley,
MN)
|
Family
ID: |
54843591 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/956,354 |
Filed: |
April 18, 2018 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20180241869 A1 |
Aug 23, 2018 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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15340329 |
Nov 1, 2016 |
9979812 |
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14556919 |
Nov 1, 2016 |
9485344 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L
12/2807 (20130101); H04W 4/023 (20130101); H04W
4/33 (20180201); F24F 11/30 (20180101); H04W
4/30 (20180201); G05B 15/02 (20130101); H04M
1/72533 (20130101); H04W 4/029 (20180201); H04L
2012/2841 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04M
1/00 (20060101); H04W 4/30 (20180101); H04W
4/33 (20180101); H04M 1/725 (20060101); G05B
15/02 (20060101); H04L 12/28 (20060101); H04W
4/02 (20180101); F24F 11/30 (20180101); H04W
4/029 (20180101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2013100081 |
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Mar 2013 |
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AU |
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2011001320 |
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Jan 2011 |
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WO |
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2014128162 |
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Aug 2014 |
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WO |
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Other References
Mike Elgan. "Why I Want Apple's iBeacon at Home." Cult of Mac. Dec.
7, 2013. Retrieved from:
http://www.cultofmac.com/257248/why-i-want-apples-ibeacon-at-home/.
cited by applicant .
Mary-Ann Russon. "Oort: Remotely Control All Devices in Your Home
Using Low-Energy Bluetooth Beacons." International Business Times.
Jul. 9, 2014. Retrieved from:
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/oort-remotely-control-all-devices-your-home-usin-
g-low-energy-bluetooth-beacons-1456014. cited by applicant .
Kang Bing, et al. "Design of an Internet of Things-based smart home
system." 2nd International Conference on Intelligent Control and
Information Processing (ICICIP), Jul. 25-28, 2011 (vol. 2 , pp.
921-924). cited by applicant .
Jong Yang, et al. "Wireless Coexistence between IEEE 802.11- and
IEEE 802.15.4-BasedNetworks: ASurvey," International Journal of
Distributed Sensor Networks, vol. 2011, Article ID 912152, 17
pages, 2011. doi:10.1155/2011/912152. cited by applicant .
Extended Search Report from related European Patent Application No.
15195746, dated Apr. 20, 2016, 6 pp. cited by applicant .
Official Communication from corresponding European Application No.
15195746.1 dated Apr. 16, 2019 (7 pp). cited by applicant .
Response to Examination Report dated Apr. 16, 2019, from
counterpart European Application No. 15195746.1, filed Aug. 19,
2019, 14 pp. cited by applicant.
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Primary Examiner: Nguyen; Khai M
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Shumaker & Sieffert, P.A.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/340,329, filed Nov. 1, 2016, which is a
divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/556,919, filed
Dec. 1, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,485,344, both of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
Claims
What is claimed:
1. An apparatus for personalizing interaction with a structure
comprising a plurality of rooms, the apparatus comprising: a memory
configured to store a first comfort preference and a second comfort
preference, wherein the first comfort preference is different from
the second comfort preference; and a processor in communication
with the memory, the processor configured to: determine a first
location in the structure of a first user associated with the first
comfort preference; determine a second location in the structure of
a second user associated with the second comfort preference;
determine whether the first location is the same as the second
location; and control, in response to the determination that the
first location is the same as the second location, one or more
system devices for a room corresponding to the location of the
structure to operate in accordance with a hybridized comfort
preference, wherein the hybridized comfort preference is based on
the first comfort preference and the second comfort preference.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first comfort preference
comprises a first temperature setting, the second comfort
preference comprises a second temperature setting that is different
from the first temperature setting, and the hybridized comfort
preference comprises a hybridized temperature setting that falls
between the first temperature setting and the second temperature
setting.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a mobile
device.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to
determine the first location and the second location based on a
wireless connection between one or more location beacons of a
plurality of location beacons dispersed throughout the
structure.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more system devices
comprise one or more of a sensor, a controller, an actuator, a
gateway, a light, a device configured to send signals to a heating,
ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, a water system
device, an alarms, a security device, a shading device, a
communication devices, or an appliance.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hybridized comfort
preference is a compromise between the first comfort preference and
the second comfort preference.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to
learn a first comfort preference for each of two or more rooms in
the structure for each of two or more times based at least in part
on: the first comfort preference, a location in which the first
mobile device was located in the structure when the first comfort
preference was set, and a time at which the first comfort
preference was set.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first comfort preference
comprises a first light setting and the second comfort preference
comprises a second light setting that is different from the first
light setting.
9. An apparatus for personalizing interaction with a structure
having a plurality of rooms, the apparatus comprising: a memory
configured to store: a first comfort temperature setting for a
first room of the structure during a first time period; a second
comfort temperature setting for the first room of the structure
during a second time period that does not overlap with the first
time period; and a third comfort temperature setting for a second
room of the structure; and a processor in communication with the
memory, the processor configured to: determine a location in the
structure in which the apparatus is located: in response to
determining that the apparatus is in the first room within the
first time period, control one or more system devices associated
with the structure to operate in accordance with the first comfort
temperature setting in the first room; in response to determining
that the apparatus is in the first room within the second time
period, control one or more system devices to operate in accordance
with the second comfort temperature setting in the first room; and
in response to determining that the apparatus is in the second
room, control the one or more system devices to operate in
accordance with the third comfort temperature setting in the second
room.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is a mobile
device.
11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured
to store the first comfort temperature setting and the second
comfort temperature setting in the memory based at least in part on
historical interactions between a user and the apparatus via a user
interface of the apparatus.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured
to learn the third comfort temperature setting based at least in
part on historical user interactions between the user and the first
mobile device.
13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first time period
comprises a winter period and the second time period comprises a
summer period.
14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured
to determine the apparatus is in the first room of the structure
and the second room of the structure based on a wireless connection
between one or more location beacons of a plurality of location
beacons dispersed throughout the structure.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first room comprises a
bedroom of the structure, and the first time period comprises a
sleep time period, the second time period comprises a wake time
period.
16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the third comfort temperature
setting for the second room of the structure corresponds to a third
time period, and the memory is configured to store a fourth comfort
temperature setting for the second room of the structure that
corresponds to a fourth time period that does not overlap with the
third time period, the processor is further configured to: in
response to determining that the apparatus is in the second room
within the third time period, control the one or more system
devices to operate in accordance with the third comfort temperature
setting in the second room; and in response to determining that the
apparatus is in the second room within the fourth time period,
control the one or more system devices to operate in accordance
with the fourth comfort temperature setting in the second room.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to methods, devices, and systems for
personalizing interaction with a structure.
BACKGROUND
Structures (e.g., homes, hotels, motels, office buildings, etc.)
contain devices designed to provide comfortable living conditions.
such devices can, for example, provide security and/or control
temperature, lighting, ventilation, and/or humidity, among others.
A person's interaction with (or comfort within) a structure can
include interaction with these devices.
Some previous approaches to personalizing interaction with a
structure seek to enhance user interaction by automating the
structure and/or devices within the structure. Using previous
approaches, a person may need to physically interact with sensors,
controllers, actuators, and/or other devices. Alternatively,
previous approaches may employ custom-built hardware which may be
costly to manufacture and/or install.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates a system for personalizing interaction with a
structure in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure; and
FIG. 2 illustrates a method for personalizing interaction with a
structure in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Methods, devices, and systems for personalizing user interaction
with a structure are described herein. For example, one or more
embodiments include determining a comfort preference associated
with a user of a mobile device corresponding to a particular
location with respect to a structure, storing the comfort
preference in a memory, and modifying an operation of at least one
device in the structure to provide the comfort preference
responsive to a distance between the mobile device and the
particular location being less than a particular threshold.
Interaction personalization in accordance with one or more
embodiments of the present disclosure can include allowing a device
associated with a user to interact with (e.g., modify one or more
operations of) system devices in a structure rather than the user
having to interact with the system devices. Devices associated with
a user, as referred to herein, includes devices that are (or can
be) carried and/or worn by the user. That is, interaction
personalization in accordance with one or more embodiments of the
present disclosure can be implemented by the use of a carried
and/or worn mobile device, such as a smart phone or wristband
(e.g., watch). Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure
can be fully automated and implemented without any burden or change
in behavior of the user.
As referred to herein, "system devices" include "smart" devices,
devices of a Building Management System and/or devices capable of
joining a system or network. For example, system devices can
include sensors, controllers, actuators, gateways, lights, heating,
ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system devices, water
system devices, alarms, security devices, thermostats, shading
devices, communication devices, appliances, etc. A person may have
personal preferences associated with comfort in different locations
(sometimes referred to as rooms) of a structure. Such preferences
may depend, for instance, on the type of room.
For example, a person may prefer a temperature to be set to 69
degrees Fahrenheit if they are in a living room (e.g., watching
television) or 73 degrees Fahrenheit if they are in a bathroom
(e.g., exiting a shower). In some embodiments, wireless
connection(s) can be established between the device and location
beacons dispersed throughout the structure in order to determine
the device's location within the structure. In other embodiments,
the device's location can be determined using other location
functionality (e.g., WiFi, GPS, etc.), for instance.
Preferences may also depend on time context (e.g., a time of day, a
day of week, a time of year, etc.). For example, a person may
prefer different lighting conditions inside during summer months in
the afternoon in winter months.
Embodiments of the present disclosure can determine these
preferences, store them in memory, and use them to provide a
comfort setting when the user is in a particular location in a
structure at a particular time. In some embodiments, the
preferences can be determined based on tracking (e.g., learning)
behavior of the user over a period of time. Tracking can include
tracking user (e.g., device) location in conjunction with user
interaction(s) with system devices in the structure. Additionally,
preferences can be determined directly through user input (e.g.,
into the mobile device).
Providing comfort settings can include modifying (e.g., changing)
an operation, state, and/or mode of a system device. For example,
modification can include activating or deactivating a device,
adjusting a device, alternating between device modes, etc.
Embodiments of the present disclosure can store preferences
associated with a plurality of users. It is to be understood that
each user may find comfort with a unique set of comfort settings.
In instances where multiple users may share a location, embodiments
of the present disclosure can allow for hybridizing (e.g.,
compromising) their comfort settings and/or prioritizing one user's
comfort over another.
Some embodiments can run as a background service on the device and
can establish wireless connections between the device and location
beacons within a structure in order to determine the device's
location within the structure. In other embodiments, the device's
location can be determined using a location functionality
associated with the mobile device (e.g., WiFi, GPS, etc.), for
instance. Accordingly, personalized interactions with system
devices can be made by the mobile device specifically tailored to
the comfort preferences of the user of the device.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the
accompanying drawings that form a part hereof. The drawings show by
way of illustration how one or more embodiments of the disclosure
may be practiced.
These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable
those of ordinary skill in the art to practice one or more
embodiments of this disclosure. It is to be understood that other
embodiments may be utilized and that process changes may be made
without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
As will be appreciated, elements shown in the various embodiments
herein can be added, exchanged, combined, and/or eliminated so as
to provide a number of additional embodiments of the present
disclosure. The proportion and the relative scale of the elements
provided in the figures are intended to illustrate the embodiments
of the present disclosure, and should not be taken in a limiting
sense.
The figures herein follow a numbering convention in which the first
digit or digits correspond to the drawing figure number and the
remaining digits identify an element or component in the drawing.
Similar elements or components between different figures may be
identified by the use of similar digits. As used herein, "a" or "a
number of" something can refer to one or more such things. For
example, "a number of blocks" can refer to one or more blocks.
FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 for personalizing interaction with
a structure 108 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the
present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, system 100 includes a
mobile device 102 and a structure 108. The mobile device 102 can be
a phone (e.g., a smart phone), a tablet, a personal digital
assistant (PDA), a wrist-worn device, among other types of
computing devices.
As shown in FIG. 1, mobile device 102 includes a memory 104 and a
processor 106 coupled to memory 104. Memory 104 can be any type of
storage medium that can be accessed by processor 106 to perform
various examples of the present disclosure. For example, memory 104
can be a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer
readable instructions (e.g., computer program instructions) stored
thereon that are executable by processor 106 to personalize
interaction with the structure 108 in accordance with one or more
embodiments of the present disclosure. The computer readable
instructions can be and/or be a portion of an application (e.g., a
mobile application) which may be downloadable over the internet,
for instance.
Memory 104 can be volatile or nonvolatile memory. Memory 104 can
also be removable (e.g., portable) memory, or non-removable (e.g.,
internal) memory. For example, memory 104 can be random access
memory (RAM) (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and/or
phase change random access memory (PCRAM)), read-only memory (ROM)
(e.g., electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)
and/or compact-disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), flash memory, a
laser disc, a digital versatile disc (DVD) or other optical disk
storage, and/or a magnetic medium such as magnetic cassettes, tapes
or disks, among other types of memory.
Further, although memory 104 is illustrated as being located in
mobile device 102, embodiments of the present disclosure are not so
limited. For example, memory 104 can also be located internal to
another computing resource (e.g., enabling computer readable
instructions to be downloaded over the Internet or another wired or
wireless connection).
As shown in FIG. 1, the memory 104 can include a comfort preference
105 (discussed further below). Although one comfort preference is
shown, embodiments of the present disclosure can include a
plurality of comfort preferences.
The structure 108 can be a home, a hotel, a motel, and/or an office
building, among other types of structures. Although one structure
is shown, embodiments of the present disclosure can include a
plurality of structures.
The structure 108 can include a location beacon 110-1 and a
location beacon 110-2 (sometimes generally referred to as "location
beacons 110"). Although two location beacons are shown, embodiments
of the present disclosure can include more or fewer location
beacons.
The location beacons 110 can be transmitters configured to
wirelessly connect with the mobile device 102 such as Bluetooth low
energy (BLE) beacons, for instance, though embodiments of the
present disclosure are not so limited. For instance, the location
beacons 110 can be WiFi beacons and/or femtocells, among other
beacons. The location beacons 110 can be coin cell devices, USB
sticks, dongles, and/or other form factors. The location beacons
110 can be a portion of an indoor proximity system, for instance.
Each of the location beacons 110 can be located at a respective
location (e.g., position) in the structure 108.
The location beacons 110 can allow mobile device 102 to determine
its location (e.g., position) within the structure 108. The
location beacons 110 can be used to determine a particular room of
the structure 108 the mobile device 102 is in based on a wireless
connection between the mobile device 102 and at least one location
beacon 110 within the structure 108. Where "room" is used in
examples discussed herein, it is to be understood that other areas
are included. For example, a user can define a custom polygon in
the structure 112 and the location beacons can determine when a
user has entered the polygon.
For example, the location beacons 110 can each transmit a
universally unique identifier recognized by the mobile device 102.
When the mobile device 102 receives a transmission from one or more
of location beacons 110, it can determine the distance from the
location beacon(s) 110. In some embodiments, the mobile device 102
can triangulate, trilaterate and/or multilaterate its location
using a plurality of the location beacons 110. The mobile device
102 can determine when a user associated with (e.g., carrying) the
mobile device has entered exited, or lingered in a location (e.g.,
a room of the structure 108).For the purposes of illustration, an
example is discussed herein where location beacon 110-1 is located
in a first room of the structure 108 and location beacon 110-2 is
located in a second room of the structure 108. It is to be
understood that embodiments of the present disclosure are not
limited to such a scenario.
The structure 108 can include a system device 112-1 and a system
device 112-2 (sometimes generally referred to as "system devices
112"). Although two system devices are shown, embodiments of the
present disclosure can include more or fewer system devices. As
previously discussed, system devices 112 can include "smart"
devices, devices of a Building Management System associated with
the structure
108 and/or devices capable of joining a system or network. For
example, system devices can include sensors, controllers, lights,
heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system devices,
water system devices, alarms, security devices, thermostats,
shading devices, communication devices, appliances, etc.
For the purposes of illustration, and according to the example
previously discussed, system device 112-1 is discussed as being
located in the first room of the structure 108 (e.g., the same room
as the location beacon 110-1) and system device 112-2 is located in
the second room of the structure 108 (e.g., the same room as the
location beacon 110-2). It is to be understood that embodiments of
the present disclosure are not limited to such a scenario.
As previously discussed, embodiments of the present disclosure can
track movements of the mobile device 102 (and by extension, the
user associated with mobile device 102) throughout the structure
108. In order to determine and/or learn comfort preferences (e.g.,
one or more settings of one or more system devices 112) some
embodiments can correlate user interactions with system devices 112
with determined locations and/or movements as well as their time(s)
(e.g., time context(s)). In an example, it can be determined that
the user typically turns the lights off in the living room as he
leaves it on weeknights after 9:00 pm.
Such tracking can be carried out over a plurality of system devices
112 over a period of time (e.g., a week, a month, a season, a year,
etc.). In some embodiments the user can be prompted, via the mobile
device 102, to input and/or select a comfort preference 105
responsive to the user's distance from one or more location beacons
110 being less than a particular threshold. Being less than such a
threshold can include the user entering a room and/or zone
associated with a particular location beacon (e.g., location beacon
110-1) and/or coming within a particular distance of the location
beacon. In some embodiments, being less than the threshold can
include the user coming within a particular distance of the
structure 108. Coming within a particular instance can include the
user entering a particular region and/or bounded geometry, for
instance.
In an example, the user can define a comfort preference 105 for
"wake up time" (e.g., between 6:00 am and 7:00 am) where the
preference includes the lights being turned off, ventilation being
on, temperature at 80 degrees Fahrenheit, security system
disarmed.
Additionally, comfort preferences can be determined based on local
weather conditions affecting the structure 108. Accordingly,
embodiments of the present disclosure can be in communication with
various weather services and/or sources of local weather
conditions. In an example, a comfort preference 105 associated with
a period of inclement weather and/or cloud cover (e.g., blinds
open) may differ from another comfort preference 105 associated
with a sunny day (e.g., blinds closed).
Once determined, comfort preferences can be stored in the memory
104 for subsequent access and/or retrieval. The comfort preferences
can be stored in association with the user and/or the mobile device
(e.g., via a device identifier). Embodiments of the present
disclosure can retrieve a particular comfort preference 105 and
provide the comfort preference(s) 105 when the user is in a
particular location in the structure and/or at a particular time.
That is, embodiments can access a predefined comfort preference
105, stored in the memory 104, associated with a user of the mobile
device 102 based on the particular room and the time context. Some
embodiments can run as a background service on the mobile device
102 and can establish wireless connections between the mobile
device 102 device and location beacons 110.
To provide comfort preferences, embodiments of the present
disclosure can modify an operation of at least one of the system
devices 112 in the structure 108 (e.g., while the device is in the
room). In other words, embodiments can change a state of the system
devices 112 associated with the room from a first state to a second
state. For example, modification can include activating or
deactivating any of system devices 112, adjusting (e.g., adjusting
power, output, speed, etc.) any of system devices 112, alternating
between modes, such as energy efficiency mode (e.g., off) and/or
comfort mode (e.g., on) of any of system devices 112, etc.
The alternation between an energy efficient mode and a comfort mode
can be carried out responsive to occupancy determinations within
the structure 112, for instance. In an example, when no occupants
are detected within the structure 112, embodiments of the present
disclosure can default to an energy efficiency mode and switch to a
comfort mode when occupancy is detected (e.g., a user enters).
Such modification can be responsive to a distance between the
mobile device and the particular location being less than a
particular threshold (as previously discussed). Additionally, such
modification can be responsive to a particular time (e.g., time of
day, day of week, month, season, etc.). In some embodiments, the
user may be prompted, via the mobile device 102, for permission to
modify an operation of at least one of the system devices 112 of
the structure 108. An example of such a prompt may include the text
"would you like to activate the security system?" and a way to
indicate "yes" or "no."
As previously discussed, comfort preferences can be stored for each
of a plurality of users as each of the users may prefer different
settings of the system devices 112. In instances where multiple
users may share a location (e.g., a structure, a zone, and/or a
room), embodiments of the present disclosure can determine a
comfort preference 105 based on a priority arrangement between the
devices associated with the users. Some embodiments can allow for
hybridizing (e.g., compromising) their comfort settings; some
embodiments can allow for prioritizing one user's comfort over
another.
For example, if two users are sharing a room where one user prefers
a first temperature setting and the other user prefers a second
temperature setting, some embodiments may modify one or more of the
system devices 112 to provide a third temperature setting that
falls between the first and second temperature settings. Given the
same set of circumstances, some embodiments may grant priority to
one of the two users and modify one or more of the system devices
112 to provide the temperature setting preferred by that user.
Priorities may be determined, set, and/or modified by a user having
appropriate privileges (e.g., an owner and/or administrator of the
structure 108), for instance.
In some embodiments, other means of determining a location of the
mobile device 102 can be utilized in lieu of, or in addition to,
the use of location beacons 110. For example, the location can be
determined using location functionalities utilizing WiFi signals,
GPS satellites, cellular towers, and/or others.
In some embodiments, once determined and/or stored in memory,
comfort preferences can be utilized for other purposes. For
example, some embodiments may provide a recommendation associated
with increasing efficient usage of energy in the structure 108
(e.g., reducing energy usage) by modifying a comfort preference 105
(e.g., increasing a temperature set point of a thermostat by one
degree during the summer).
The recommendation can include a potential monetary savings
resulting from the modification. Accordingly, mobile devices in
accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure can be in
communication with various power providers and/or sources of local
power cost information.
Additionally, some embodiments can provide a notification
responsive to a deviation from a tracked and/or learned behavior
(e.g., deviation from a historical relationship between the
particular room of a structure 108 the mobile device 102 is in and
the time context). In one example, a notification can be provided
if the user typically wakes up by a certain time but has not woken
up by that time on a particular day. Such a notification can be
provided to the mobile device 102 and/or to an additional device
(e.g., a mobile device associated with a contact of the user).
Comfort preferences stored in the memory can be accessed and/or
retrieved by a plurality of structures and/or devices of a
plurality of structures. In an example, a user determines a comfort
preference 105 associated with a temperature in a hotel room.
Embodiments of the present disclosure can retrieve and provide that
comfort preference 105 in the event that the user stays in a
different hotel (e.g., a different branch of a hotel chain).
Accordingly, the user's comfort may be automatically maintained
across various structures according to his preferences.
FIG. 2 illustrates a method 214 personalizing interaction with a
structure in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure. Method 214 may be performed by a mobile device (e.g.,
mobile device 102, previously described in connection with FIG.
1).
At block 216, method 214 includes determining a comfort preference
associated with a user of a mobile device corresponding to a
particular location with respect to a structure. In some
embodiments, a comfort preference can be determined based on
tracking movements of the mobile device (and by extension, the user
associated with the mobile device) throughout the structure. In
order to determine and/or learn comfort preferences (e.g., one or
more settings of one or more system devices) some embodiments can
correlate user interactions with the devices with determined
locations and/or movements as well as their time(s). That is,
method 214 can include determining the comfort preference based on
at least one adjustment made to the at least one device over a
particular period of time. In some embodiments the user can be
prompted, via the mobile device, to input and/or select a
particular comfort preference.
At block 218, method 214 includes storing the comfort preference in
a memory. Storing comfort preferences in the memory can allow
subsequent retrieval of the comfort preferences. Embodiments of the
present disclosure can retrieve a particular comfort preference and
provide the comfort preferences when the user is in a particular
location in the structure and/or at a particular time.
At block 220, method 214 includes modifying an operation of at
least one device in the structure to provide the comfort preference
responsive to a distance between the mobile device and the
particular location being less than a particular threshold. As
previously discussed, modification can include activating or
deactivating devices, adjusting (e.g., adjusting power, output,
speed, etc.) devices, alternating between modes, such as energy
efficiency mode (e.g., off) and/or comfort mode (e.g., on) of
devices, etc. With respect to an example discussed in connection
with FIG. 1, some embodiments can change the state of the system
device from the second state (e.g., on) to the first state (e.g.,
off)responsive to a determination that the device is no longer in
the room (e.g., the device has moved from the first room to the
second room).
Providing the comfort preference can include modifying operations
of one or more devices in an effort to provide the comfort
preference. For example, if a user desires a room to be set to 69
degrees Fahrenheit but has left a door open during a cold winter
night, system devices may be physically unable to provide the
comfort preference because of the circumstances and/or limitations
of system devices (e.g., a furnace may be unable to produce enough
warm air to counteract the cold air entering through the open
door). In such examples, providing the comfort preference can
include the modification of operations of one or more devices
despite the difficulty or unlikelihood of attaining the comfort
preference due to various external circumstances.
In some embodiments, method 214 can include determining, by the
mobile device, a status of the provision of the comfort
preference.
That is, the user can be shown device(s) that may have been
activated and/or deactivated in order to provide the comfort
preference. The user can be shown a time (e.g., estimated time)
until and/or when the comfort preference will be provided. In some
embodiments, the mobile device can communicate with various system
devices to make such a determination. In some embodiments, the
mobile device by include one or more sensing devices that can
determine the status of the provision of the comfort
preference.
Determining whether the distance between the mobile device and the
particular location is less than the particular threshold can
include determining a distance between the mobile device and at
least one location beacon associated with the structure. The
distance between the mobile device and the particular location
being less than the particular threshold can include the mobile
device being determined to be located in the particular room, for
instance. The distance between the mobile device and the particular
location being less than the particular threshold can include the
mobile device being determined to be within a particular distance
from the structure or within a particular region in (or outside of)
the structure, for instance.
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described
herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any
arrangement calculated to achieve the same techniques can be
substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is
intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various
embodiments of the disclosure.
It is to be understood that the above description has been made in
an illustrative fashion, and not a restrictive one. Combination of
the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically
described herein will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon
reviewing the above description.
The scope of the various embodiments of the disclosure includes any
other applications in which the above structures and methods are
used. Therefore, the scope of various embodiments of the disclosure
should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along
with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are
entitled.
In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features are grouped
together in example embodiments illustrated in the figures for the
purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure
is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the
embodiments of the disclosure require more features than are
expressly recited in each claim.
Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter
lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment.
Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the
Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a
separate embodiment.
* * * * *
References